


Pieces of Broken Memories

by Dreadful_Penny



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Eventual Romance, F/F, F/M, M/M, Memory Alteration
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-21
Packaged: 2021-03-24 07:34:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30068847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreadful_Penny/pseuds/Dreadful_Penny
Summary: On the morning of his thirtieth birthday, Sebastian wakes up with a killer migraine. What the hell had happened the night before? Why does he get a strange feeling in his stomach when he spots the reclusive farmer from Castlewood buying a new shipping bin from his mother? Why does NOBODY seem to really know anything about this woman, even though she's lived there for six years? And what's with the weird ring that he found in his bed?A twist on the "farmer moves in, falls in love with a villager, and then things happen" theme. In the game, the wizard states that he sealed the way to the witch's swamp because he was afraid a villager might find their way in. Do we *really* know how the shrines work? What might a villager accomplish if they made their way to the witch's hut and the dark shrines within? Let's find out.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 9





	1. Chapter 1

On the morning of his thirtieth birthday, Sebastian Blackwell woke up to a blazingly bright room. At least five alarms (that he could identify) were blaring at him. His heart was racing as he rolled out of bed, glancing left and right as if he could catch whomever was behind this obvious attack. After a terrifying moment, he realized that someone must have decided to play a prank. Every light in his room was on, and everything that could produce sound was doing so at what was surely a deafening volume. His groaned and squeezed his eyes shut against the artificial brightness. He crawled towards his desk where the closest lamp and noise source happened to be. He pulled himself up to his feet and slapped the space bar on the keyboard. The computer silenced itself. He fumbled with the lamp for a moment before just pulling the cord straight out of the wall. He would deal with that later.

He made a slow circle around his bedroom, shutting off lights and turning off the other computer, the radio, the stereo, and his synthesizer. _How the bloody fuck did she manage that one?_ he wondered as he switched off the musical instrument. He was unaware of any kind of timer on the complicated machine; that didn’t mean that it didn’t exist somewhere, and trust his sister to figure it out.

The last thing he turned off was the satellite radio by his bed, which was playing an oldies station. The song ended and the morning DJs began chattering, evidently continuing a conversation from before his rude awakening. “See, it’s not a bad song! It wasn’t a bad album!” the male DJ said.

“No, but I can see why the OG fans were pissy about it,” his female partner said. “I like it, sure. It’s a fine album. It’s not actively offensive. But the band grew up, mellowed out, and this is what came out of it. Not everybody likes it when things change, y’know?”

“That I do, Candice. As for all of you early birds out there, we have one more song for you and then we’re flying the coop. Boomhauer and Joe Jack are already here, and they’re making faces at us. Jerks. So we’ll be on our way, but have one last cut from _Battle Born_. Here’s ‘The Way it Was,’ on the KGIL Early Show. ’Til tomorrow!”

Sebastian clicked off the sat radio and sat down on his bed. The small reading lamp on top of the mini fridge next to his bed was the last source of light. His head had started to ache as he’d gone around the room restoring the quiet darkness that he preferred. It was getting worse by the second and starting to settle in his left temple, just behind the eye. He sighed then leaned over and opened the mini fridge, even though he was pretty sure that he already knew what it contained. The cold packs were nice, he thought, but it wasn’t going to help him take anything for the headache. He shut the refrigerator door and massaged his temples. It didn’t help — it never did — but he hadn’t given up hope that one day it would actually do something. Five minutes later he had thrown on a shirt and slid into a pair of old sweat pants. He hesitated and then grabbed a pair of sunglasses out of the small basket that sat on the short filing cabinet next to his door. He slipped them on and opened the door.

The staircase seemed longer than usual. Every step made his head ache just a little more. He heard his mother chatting with someone in the show room. It was early for that, he thought. Most of Robin’s regular customers were usually busy at their farms or businesses at this hour. A low female voice was speaking and he got to the top just in time to hear his mother respond. “Of course, that’s no problem at all. I keep a few of those things around, just in case. You never know when someone’s going to need a new one, and I almost always get an order for one every week or two. So you can take a brand new one with you today, if you aren’t picky about the color or anything like that.”

“I’m not, thanks Robin.” The voice sounded vaguely familiar. “I really appreciate it. Lewis decided that I needed a talking to about the old one this morning, like I meant for a freak storm to destroy my old one.”

“That blow hard. Was anything else damaged?”

“Just…well, just a section of the fence. And one of the barns. My…two of the baby goats…” the woman’s voice trailed off. Someone sniffled.

“I’m so sorry, Kat. Here, dear, take a tissue.” He stepped into the hallway and glanced into the showroom. A short woman was standing in front of the desk, dabbing at her eyes with a tissue. The glasses made it hard to make out any details, and he felt himself pushing them up before he realized he was doing it. The woman had on a slouchy, gray, knit cap over her long pink hair. She was bundled against the winter weather in a puffy, purple jacket, dark blue jeans, and purple snow boots. Pink hair. Kat. The pieces fell into place. It was the farmer that had inherited her grandfather’s land, north of Marnie’s ranch. She glanced over at him and his stomach twisted. He didn’t have time to dwell on the strange reaction before the migraine began to throb more insistently in his skull. He slid the glasses back down over his eyes and turned away, walking as quickly as he could towards the kitchen.

Maru and Demetrius were there, chatting by the counter while Demetrius poured pancake batter onto the electric griddle. The kitchen was tiny enough when it was empty. Having to maneuver around his stepfather and half-sister was going to make his goals a little harder to achieve. He ignored the pair of them as he opened the refrigerator and started moving things around to get to his tea. Someone had shoved a bunch of lab samples in with the food and it was all he could do to keep his temper in check. The lab had already taken over what used to be a nice kitchen, and now Demetrius and Maru were taking over the replacement kitchen as well? He found his tea on the bottom shelf, all the way in the back. He pulled out two bottles, trying to be careful, but still somehow knocked a plastic container in the floor. “Nice going, Dracula.” He ignored Maru and picked up the container. It appeared to be full of purple mushrooms. “Super nice going. Those aren’t delicate specimens or anything like that, you know.”

“Shut the hell up,” Sebastian muttered.

“Dad!”

“Let’s all try to get along. Sebastian, please try to be more careful.” Demetrius was always fairly mild when he spoke to the warring siblings, but Sebastian couldn’t help but feel like a child being scolded.

“That’s it?” Sebastian straightened up, shoving the refrigerator closed as he did so. “Big peacemaker aren’t you. ‘Let’s all try to get along,’ after I get crap for dropping some mushrooms? My goddamned head hurts and besides, if I meant to damage something, I damn well would have!” He almost dropped his tea as another wave of pain washed over his skull. He managed to put the bottles on the counter and shut his eyes while as he clutched his head. A firm hand gripped his shoulder and started steering him. He heard the sound of a chair being pulled out from the table. “Go on and sit here for a minute.” Demetrius patted his shoulder. Sebastian folded his arms on the table and rested his head. He heard cabinets opening and shutting. “Here you go, Seb. I’ve got your medication and your drink. And here’s a tin of Winter Star cookies that Mrs. Mullner sent up. You should try to eat something. And Maru, try not to keep your specimens in the kitchen. We have plenty of room in the lab, and if that’s not enough we both know that your workshop is more than spacious enough to convert into a small lab area of your own.” The sound of his half-sister huffing and stomping away did its own kind of magic on his headache. Sebastian cracked an eye open and inspected the items before him. A familiar amber bottle of pills, a glass of cold peppermint tea, and the cookies that Demetrius had mentioned were laid out before him. He popped the lid off of the pill bottle and shook two round, blue tablets into his hand. He dry swallowed them before downing the entire glass of tea. The lid on the tin didn’t want to come off at first, but he finally wrestled it open and took two sugar cookies.

“Feeling up for pancakes?” Demetrius’s voice broke the silence.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea yet, but I’ll have some later. Um. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome. I’ve started more tea brewing for you so that you’ll have it when you need it. You only had three bottles left in the refrigerator and I know you’ll need more soon. It’s supposed to snow again tonight. That may be why you’re having an episode right now.”

“Maybe.” Sebastian finished his first cookie and started on the second. His stomach seemed to settle.

“In any case, I’m packing a basket for you to take back down to the basement whenever you’re ready. It has your drinks, more sugar cookies, and a few other things.”

“I really appreciate it.” Sebastian pinched the bridge of his nose. “I think I’m going to try to go ahead and go back to bed.”

“All right. Here you go.” Demetrius set a small picnic basket down in front of him. “Peppermint green tea, sugar cookies, ingredients for a BLT for later, and some extra bacon. You need the protein. When’s the last time you had a blood panel?”

“Probably the last time you drew one. I can’t stand that doctor.”

“He’s not my favorite person, either, but you and I both know that I’m not actually qualified to help you manage your conditions.”

“Right. Thanks for the snack. I’ll call the doctor later.” Sebastian slowly stood up and picked up the basket. It was a bit heavier than he expected, but nothing he couldn’t manage. When he returned to the basement, after tossing his sunglasses on top of the filing cabinet, he sat down on the floor in front of the mini fridge. Three bottles of peppermint green tea. A small tomato. A plastic container of lettuce. Enough bacon for at least four sandwiches. Once the cold items were stowed, he left the rest of the items in the basket and set it on top of the mini fridge for later. The pain in his skull had started to ease a little, but sleep was the only thing that was going to get rid of it entirely. He turned off the lamp, then stripped back down and crawled into his chilly bed. He started to roll over but something cold and sharp dug into his side. He grabbed the object and ran his fingers over it. It was a ring of some sort. His head throbbed and he almost threw the ring across the room. He dropped it on his night stand and burrowed down deep under the blankets. It was something to worry about after his brain stopped punishing him.

__

It is spring, and it hasn’t started getting too hot yet, but it’s still enough to make Sebastian’s disdain for the sun and those who worshiped it into something vast and unrelenting. Nearly two weeks ago, he ponders as he climbs the basement steps, snow was on the ground and it was dark more often than not. Perfect weather, he thinks as he reaches the hallway. Voices in his mother’s showroom draw his attention. His mother is chatting with someone, an unfamiliar female voice. He takes a step towards the room just in time to hear his own name. “My son, Sebastian, lives downstairs. He’s a little shy, but I’m sure he’ll warm up to you if you’re nice to him. Speak of the devil, Sebby come meet Kat!” He sighs and steps into the doorway of the showroom. A young woman is standing in front of the desk, looking through Robin’s catalog. She glances up and meets his eyes. He feels his stomach twist in a strange, not unpleasant way. She smiles faintly and puts the catalog down.

“Nice to meet you,” she says. “I’m Kat. I just moved here a few days ago.”

“Out of all the places you could live, you chose Pelican Town?” _What the hell, self?_

To her credit the woman just grins in response. “Hey, it’s a free piece of land. Even came with a house. You’d take it too, I bet.”

“Could you really picture someone like me living on a farm? It seems ridiculous.” _Self! What in the ever loving hell are you thinking? Quit being a dick!_

“Kat inherited her grandfather’s farm,” Robin says. “Castlewood? It’s north of Marnie’s ranch.”

“I’m familiar with it.” Abigail has dragged him there at least a dozen times over the years. Kat is looking through the catalog again, glancing up from time to time. Her bright pink hair is definitely the most striking thing about her, he decides. It falls to a few inches below her shoulders in a tumble of waves. She’s a little sunburnt. He notices the shadows beneath her eyes, but they are faint, as if she is recovering from a bout of insomnia. She is dressed for the bright spring day in a denim skirt, a white peasant blouse, and sturdy looking leather walking shoes. A brown leather knapsack is next to her feet. “Well anyway, I’ll be seeing you around, I guess.”

“I guess so,” Kat said, smiling up at him again.

“Sebby and his friends usually spend Friday nights in the arcade at the Stardrop. Maybe you could join them tonight!” Robin says brightly, giving Sebastian a pointed look.

He stammers a little. “Yeah, I mean, you’re welcome to, y’know, join us. If you wanted to.”

“So nice of you to offer,” Kat says. “But I’m beat. It’s been a long week, and I’m probably going to bed early with a book. Robin, I think the standard coop is going to have to do it for me for now.”

“Certainly. And remember, I can upgrade it to the larger model later if you decide you want to.” His mother bends over the catalog, pointing out the details to the younger woman, who is nodding and asking questions, and typing notes into her phone as she and Robin converse. He heads for the kitchen, lost in thought.

The kitchen is dark when he reaches the end of the hall. He frowns, sure that the sun should be streaming through the windows. It’s cold and dark, and the room seems larger than it should be. And backwards, as if he’s stepped into a mirror image of his mother’s small kitchen. The kitchen is open to the rest of the house, instead of being tucked away in a corner. It occurs to him, too late, that he’s not in his mother’s house any longer. A figure is standing in the next room, in front of a stone fireplace. It moves, and the flickering light reflects off of a mane of wavy, pink hair. It is Kat, and she looks very different from the way she looked only moments ago. “Kat?” he says, trying to get her attention. He doesn’t know her very well, though, so talking to her feels a little strange, a little awkward, but she looks so miserable that a piece of him feels compelled to help her. “Kat, are you okay?” She turns away from the fireplace and walks away, towards a hallway on the far side of the living room. He follows her, but he couldn’t have explained why.

He notices the dogs almost as soon as they notice him. A huge German Shepherd is relaxing in a large recliner, and a small dachshund is curled up next to it. The dogs stare at him, totally at ease with his presence. Why shouldn’t they be? This is all just a dream, isn’t it? He follows Kat down the hallway. It turns out to lead to her bedroom. An enormous, unmade bed, headboard against the left wall, is the centerpiece of the room. Huge windows line the opposite wall. The curtains haven’t been drawn. Kat isn’t in the room; she’s walking down another hallway. He goes to follow her, but can’t move. His feet simply won’t obey him. He can see a light turn on in the next room, the room where the mysterious farmer has disappeared into, but he can’t get to her.

 _ **Why would you need to get to her**_ , a very calm, rational voice asks. **Y _ou don’t really know this woman, do you? Of course not. She’s reclusive, don’t you remember? Nobody really knows her that well. She goes to the festivals, of course_** _._ Everyone attends the festivals, except for that piggish Morris from Joja Mart. Kat brings nice things to the festivals, helps Gus with the food, and tends to keep to herself. _**She’s not your friend**_ , the voice continues. _**Why are you so concerned with this?** _He can’t think of an answer. Dreams are strange that way. So he does the only thing that he can think of, and tries, again, to move his feet. The landscape starts to swirl.

 _ **Let’s go somewhere else. Somewhere nicer, where it isn’t cold and dark.**_ And he’s standing in a grove with giant stumps and ancient ruins. There’s a small pond directly across from the only intact statue in the place. He remembers this place, faintly. He’s only been here a few times, and the last time…

She’s sitting on one of the big stumps, unlacing her shoes. She seems to be having a rather difficult time of it, but she’s giggling, so it doesn’t matter. The flowers in her hair are slipping, and without thinking, he catches them. She smiles up at him, eyes twinkling in the light. Such a beautiful girl, he thinks. He can’t wait to see more of her creamy skin, is eager to see if she writhes with pleasure the way that he has imagined that girls do when you touch them just right. He kneels and helps her unlace the other shoe, an unfamiliar combination of ballet slipper and sandal, with ribbons that twist all the way up to her knees. He unties the ribbon and runs his hands down her leg, reveling in the silky smooth feel of her skin. She giggles and kicks off the other shoe. He grasps both legs and looks up at her, feeling his body responding. It’s too soon, it’s too fast, is he going to…

His eyes open. The dream had been like a roller coaster that you don’t really want to ride, but your friends insist. So you get on it, and you scream when they do, and you laugh when they do, but in reality it’s all whiplash and an upset stomach, and the dire wish that you hadn’t eaten anything before you hopped on board. He rolled over and picked up his phone. A missed call from Sam, two text messages from Abigail, and one from Victor. Abigail was trying to be sexy again. Victor just wanted to wish him a happy birthday. Sam hated texting, but Sebastian imagined that his friend had wanted to attempt to lock down plans for that evening.

“The same thing we do every Tuesday, Sam,” Sebastian muttered. It was just past two, and he needed to try to get some work done before whatever scheme his friends had planned came to fruition. He pulled on sweat pants and turned on the lamp next to his bed, trying to think about what he needed to do first. His stomach rumbled, which decided it.

Ten minutes and one BLT later, he was sitting in front of his main computer, going over the specs for the website that he had been commissioned to design. The owner hadn’t wanted anything too complicated, being not terribly computer savvy themselves, but they didn’t want their own ignorance to hinder their business. He appreciated that in a client — a willingness to ask for help was a fantastic character trait. The business owner, a dairy farmer from Grampleton, wanted to start selling some of their wares online. Cheese, mostly, but merchandise with their logo was something that they wanted to attempt as well. Simple enough.

He fell into the work, losing himself in the lines of code. The data was there. The computer was willing and ready to do his bidding. He just had to input the right combination of characters and commands. His phone rang, pulling him out of his reverie. He swiped it open and hit the button to put the device on speaker. “Yes, Samson.” Sebastian said, not looking up from the screen.

“Uh, happy birthday?”

“Thanks.”

“Are you almost ready? Because you know that Abigail has the whole night planned out, and I wasn’t supposed to tell you anything, but I know how you are, dude. You need to get your ass down here before Abbi gets all pissy and goes home.”

“She won’t do that.”

“She’s acting like she will.”

“Nah. She wants to get laid more than I do.” Sam guffawed. “Tell me I’m wrong.”

“Can’t. Won’t,” Sam was still giggling.

“I’m almost done, then I’ll be on my way. See you in about thirty?”

“Sure. Don’t get stuck.” Sebastian jabbed at the phone’s screen, ending the call. He stretched and got up. Time to go celebrate his birthday. For whatever reason.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A disappointing birthday, a strange dream, more than a couple of extremely intrusive thoughts, and another rude awakening...

Abigail fumbled with the fly on his jeans. She always did, no matter how many times they had made out. This time, for some reason, she seemed to be having more trouble than usual. She’d had trouble with the belt, too. The entire experience, so far, felt so … awkward. Just, strange and awkward, and unfamiliar, although he and Abbi had been hooking up for the past four years, on and off. 

  
Make it official, Sam had said. Just, tell her she’s your girlfriend, and you’re her boyfriend, and be done with it.

  
Watching her struggle to get into his pants was, perhaps, the least enticing thing that he’d seen in a very long time. “Hey,” he said, stroking her hair. “Don’t stress it. Let’s just sit and talk.”

  
“But it’s your birthday,” she said, giving the zipper another frustrated tug.

  
“So? It’s just my birthday. And I still have a headache from earlier.” Not, he realized, a lie. Perfect. Abigail sighed and sat back on her heels. She didn’t look as disappointed as he’d thought she’d be, which was strangely comforting. “C’mere,” he said, patting the love seat. She got up and sank down next to him. He put an arm around her shoulder and she leaned into him. Even this felt awkward. After a moment, she cleared her throat and shifted in her seat, moving away from him to lean against the opposite armrest. She tucked her feet up next to herself for good measure. _Message received_ , Sebastian thought. Not that he minded. Something in the air was strange, and everyone could feel it. Sam and Victor had both looked faintly confused during the birthday dinner. Penny was the only one who seemed to be having a good time. She rarely went into the saloon, but had been willing to attend his birthday celebration on Sam’s arm, smiling cheerfully and leading the entire evening crowd in singing “Happy Birthday” as Gus brought out a cake. He’d obligingly blown out the candles and Penny had swooped in to start cutting the cake to pass out to everyone. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen Penny so happy.

  
“I got you an actual present, by the way.” He almost jumped. Abigail was staring at something on the other side of the room. “Let me just get my bag.” She got up and padded across the room to where she’d dropped her purse and coat. She dug through her belongings and pulled out a small box. She tossed it at him and he snatched it out of the air. She smiled finally, her real, actual smile. She looked almost relieved now that sex was almost certainly not happening. She sat down on the floor in front of him again, three feet away this time. He pulled on the ribbon wrapped around the box and pulled open the lid. 

  
“Nice,” he said, turning the piece of obsidian in his hands, studying it in the low light. “Very nice. I love it.”

  
“I knew you would,” Abbi said. “And … sorry, but I think I probably ought to just go home. It’s kind of late, and … well, anyway. Happy Birthday, Sebby. Sorry it didn’t go the way I planned.”

  
“Don’t worry about it.” She was already on her feet and stepping into her shoes. 

  
“Okay. Well, have a good night. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” She shrugged into her coat.

  
“Here, I’ll walk you out.” He grabbed a hoody from the back of one of his desk chairs and put it on. After checking to make sure his cigarettes were in is pocket, he opened the basement door and gestured for Abigail to go on ahead. She started up the steps and he followed, pulling the door shut behind him. 

  
On the front porch, Abigail turned around and seemed to be trying to think of something to say. He pressed a kiss on the top of her head and gave her a quick hug.

“Goodnight, Abbi.”

  
“Goodnight,” she echoed, backing down the steps and turning away for the walk back into town. He waited until he couldn’t see her any longer and then started walking towards the lake. 

He was startled to see a small light near the water. As he got closer he was able to make out a faint trickle of music. 

  
Who the fuck was at the lake at this hour? In this weather? He frowned but kept walking. He could ignore anyone and defend himself against almost anyone. It was irritating to have to contend with someone else in what he thought of his own place. He picked up his pace, wanting to get the confrontation over with.

  
The person was standing by the water’s edge, holding a fishing pole. The music and light were coming from a smart phone that had been set up on the lid of a medium sized cooler. The person turned at the sound of Sebastian’s approaching footsteps. The moon was just bright enough for him to see that it was the woman who had been at his mother’s sales desk that morning. 

  
_And the dream._

  
The dream had all but faded into the back of his mind before his small inner voice reminded him. He struggled to recall the details, but they slipped away before he could get a firm grasp on them.

  
He kept walking until he reached the edge of the lake where he usually liked to stand. He was only a few feet away from the farmer, but he still felt awkward just lighting a cigarette without saying something first.

  
**_But this is YOUR place. SHE is intruding._ **

  
“Hey,” he said. “Uh. Mind if I smoke?”

  
“Go for it,” she said, turning back towards the lake. “I don’t mind it. I doubt the fish will care either way.”

  
He lit up and stuck his left hand in the pocket of his jacket, watching the water. It was nearly silent at this hour, save for the music coming from the farmer’s phone. 

  
“Um. Sorry, but what are you hoping to catch? I don’t know a whole lot about fishing. Just wondering what’s … in season, I guess?” _What the fuck, self._

  
“Something called a Midnight Carp,” she said. “It’s a relatively shy species. It’s only active in the fall and winter, late at night.”

  
“Hmm.”

  
“Demetrius thinks that it’s a new hybrid species. He put up a notice asking for one so that he can study it. So here I am.”

  
“Because it’s not like he could catch it himself,” Sebastian said, taking another pull on his cigarette. 

  
She laughed softly. “He’s not that sort of outdoorsy, is he? More like, the kind of person who can tell you what kind of snake just bit you, but not know how to avoid stepping on it in the first place.”

  
“That seems about right.”

  
The bobber at the end of her fishing pole abruptly went under. She jerked the pole back and the sound of her reeling the line overtook the soft music. She pulled on the pole again and kept reeling. Sebastian watched the fish come out of the water. It was almost as long as his arm, but it was too dark to see what it looked like other than that. It was flopping wildly. “Grab the net!” Kat said, keeping her eyes locked on the fish. It was fighting her every inch of the way. Sebastian picked up the net and held it ready when she pulled on the fishing pole one last time, lifting the fish out of the water. He brought the net up and she lowered the fish into it, where it continued to thrash wildly. He waited while she carefully removed the hook from the fish’s mouth, then lifted the lid from the cooler. “Lower it a bit?” She guided the net towards the cooler and handily turned the net inside out, dumping the fish into the cooler. She popped the lid back on, trapping the fish from attempting to jump out. “Thanks for the help,” she said, drying her hands on a towel.

  
“No problem,” Sebastian said, suddenly realizing the he’d dropped his cigarette in his hurry to grab the fishing net for her. It had, of course, fizzled out in the snow. He puffed out a short, frustrated breath. Cash wasn’t exactly flowing in right now, and he briefly wondered if the damp cig could be salvaged. 

  
“Are you okay?”

  
“Yeah, I dropped my smoke is all. Pack’s almost empty.”

  
“Sorry about that. Here.” She started searching her leather backpack and came up with a pack. “They’re cloves, I hope you don’t mind.”

  
“No, I like cloves. Haven’t had one in ages.” Her mouth twisted in a strange sort of half smile at that. He wondered briefly at it, then took one of the cigarettes from the pack that she was offering. It was the same brand that he liked, when he was in the mood for cloves. “Small world. That’s my brand, too,” he said. “And thanks.”

  
“No problem. Thanks for your help with the fish. Your stepdad’s going to be pleased with it, I think.” She stuck the pack back in her backpack and then sat down on the cooler. She began disassembling the fishing pole. He watched out of the corner of his eye as she broke the thing down into a small, manageable device that she was able to tuck into her backpack. She wiped her hands again and then just sat for a minute, watching the lake. “I’ll bring it by tomorrow. I’d better head home with the rest of what I caught. So. Um. Goodnight. Oh, and happy birthday.”

  
“How did you know it was my birthday?” 

  
Another one of those faint, half smiles. “Just do. I hope you had a good day.”

  
“Thanks. Wait, do you need some help with that? Did you walk here?”

  
“I’ll be fine. I have a trick. Behold!” She pulled up on one of the handles on the side of the cooler. It extended much in the same way a handle on a rolling suitcase would. “It’s on wheels. But thanks for the offer. See you around, Sebastian.” She swung her backpack up onto her shoulders, grabbed the handle of the cooler, and began walking away. The music went with her, and he found that he missed it after she was gone. He pulled his own phone out of his pocket and pulled up a streaming app. Strange how this particular band was bookending his birthday. He scrolled through The band's discography and came to a stop on the album that the morning DJs had referenced, the same one that Kat had been listening to while she fished. He tapped on “Miss Atomic Bomb” and let the music play while he finished his cigarette.

_____

He returned to the basement and shrugged out of his jacket. He tossed it on the love seat and picked up the box containing Abigail’s birthday gift. It really was a very nice piece of obsidian. He looked around the room and finally found a spot on the bookshelf to display it. A clever bit of wire was wrapped around the bottom and formed a set of rough “feet” that allowed the mineral to stand on its own. He set the stone on the edge of the shelf, partially blocking the titles that were behind it. It was thoughtful of Abigail to make sure that he’d be able to set the stone out and not just have it laying on a shelf or worse, hidden away in a box. A brief wave of guilt washed over him. He really should just make it official with her, shouldn’t he? She was so sweet when she wanted to be and she was delightful in bed, but was that enough? “Where’s the challenge” he muttered. 

  
After more tea and medicine for the migraine, which had started to pound again, he turned off the lamp, shed his clothing, and got into bed with a book. He’d read it before, several times, but that was for the best for this evening. As his eyes and a part of his mind processed the words, the rest of his mental energy was wandering. Everything about the entire day had felt wrong, off. The strangeness had started that morning, he realized, with Maru being particularly vicious… 

  
**_She’s always that way._ **

  
…And Demetrius not letting her get away with it.

**_But he’s always taking her side._ **

  
But was she vicious? And did his stepfather truly never intervene? A bolt of pain in his left temple distracted him from this line of thought and he dropped his book as he clutched the sides of his head. After a few agonizing seconds the pain receded. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He carefully picked up the book, smoothed the bent pages, and turned off his reading light. It was early for him to go to sleep, but he didn’t think he’d be able to manage anything else that night. He let his mind wander, thinking about the lake and the encounter with the farmer. She was shy, he recalled, not socializing much with anyone. But she always attended the festivals, and she was known for helping Gus with the refreshments. But that, for some reason, was all that he could seem to recall about her. He could barely remember seeing her anywhere but working at the refreshment tables and quietly showing her mediocre goods at the fair in mid-Autumn. His thoughts drifted back to the encounter at the lake.

  
The lake at night was one of his favorite places, especially in the winter. The stillness of the water combined with the reflection of the stars off the surface made for a very peaceful place to stand and just think. He almost felt like he was out there again, floating over the ground and watching the winter night proceed. A flash of color caught his eye. He knew that he was dreaming at this point because he was able to move to hover over the water, just in front of the bridge that crossed over the stream that poured out of the mountain cave. A woman in a purple winter coat was sitting on the bridge. Her arms were folded on one of the support rails on the bridge and her chin was resting on her folded arms. 

  
The wind blows and he can feel it all the way down to his bones. If he hadn’t been certain that he was dreaming before, this sudden intrusion of cold in what had formerly been a pleasantly warm reminiscence would have solidified the thought. He tries to make out the identity of the woman on the bridge before he realizes that it’s Kat.

  
_But she went home._

  
He doesn’t know what to think as he watches her, the woman from the farm, his unlikely, unexpected companion from earlier that night. She’s sitting there, alone in the cold darkness, and he can hear the music all over again. A bulky figure approaches the bridge and sits down next to the woman. It takes him a minute to recognize the man that lives up in the hills. He can’t recall the man’s name off the top of his head. 

  
“Hi Linus,” the woman says, saving Sebastian from himself. She doesn’t look up from the water.

  
“Silver fairy roses.”

  
“What?” She looks up at the man, seemingly startled.

  
“I’d never seen silver fairy roses before that day, did you know that?” Linus sat down next to the farmer and started watching the water with her. “I’ve traveled the globe. I’ve seen wonders that one has to see to believe. And I had never in my life seen silver fairy roses before your wedding day.”

  
“I was never…”

  
“Kat. Don’t tell me stories, now. Is that any way to treat an old friend?” 

  
“You remember,” she says, so quietly that Sebastian knows he shouldn’t be able to hear her.

  
“Of course I do. Not everyone in this valley is susceptible to dark magic. The beauty of living on the fringe of ‘civilized’ society is that sometimes people have the tendency to overlook you. It’s a mixed blessing.”

  
“I thought I was losing my mind.”

  
“Silver fairy roses,” Linus says again. “And two different shades of purple, all scattered around the plaza. I’m sure I don’t know how Evie managed to get them to grow, but she did it.”

  
“I have no idea, either. She was at the farm every morning before I got up, somehow. And she never let me come near the garden.”

  
“Of course she wouldn’t. She appointed herself as your honorary grandmother the day you moved here, and that kind of responsibility holds weight for a woman of her quality.”

  
“She doesn’t remember anything. I ran into her in town today.”

  
“No, she’s a formidable woman, but her magic isn’t made to counter whatever’s been done to the valley right now. She doesn’t remember it, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.”

  
“Linus, it’s not in the town record any more. I checked the ledgers after I came here first thing this morning. There’s no record of the ceremony, of the children, nothing. It’s as if it never happened, and I was really starting to think I had gone insane!”

  
“No dear. I promise. Shall I tell you more about your special day? Evie sent her grandson to fetch me so she wouldn’t have to try to climb the steps. And when I came into the house, do you know what she said to me? Before anything else? ‘Blackberries, Linus.’ She wanted an entire bushel of blackberries to use for the cake.“

  
“She did so much. She wouldn’t let me help, not even a little bit. I wanted to make the pumpkin soup, but she told me that if I didn’t get out of the kitchen, she’d have Gus carry me out.”

  
“And he would have. That kitchen might belong to Gus, but it was Evelyn’s war room on the day of your wedding. I wish you could have seen her, commanding half of the town. It was magnificent.”

  
“I still don’t understand why she did so much for me.” 

  
“Do you not understand what you moving here did for this little town? For the people who’ve been here for as long as Evelyn has? Your wedding was something that Evelyn had wanted for the entire town for years. The last time we had someone get married, it was her own Clara, but she left very soon after the wedding. After so many years of watching people leave in some fashion or another, here was this bright young woman, come home to the valley to begin anew. You were the spark that ignited so many things. Out little town had hope for the first time in years. Your wedding was a celebration of all of it. Be proud. Most brides don’t get to serve as the avatar of a town’s spirit.” His tone is mild but the sincerity is plain. “Besides all that, it was a joining of two of the oldest lines in region.”

  
“Lewis mentioned that during the ceremony.”

  
“He did. It was worth reminding people that you belonged here before you ever made your vows in the plaza that day.” Linus took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “You know, I wonder if Vincent or Jas remember anything.”

  
“Jas was frightened of me this morning. She’s leery of strangers. Vincent was himself, but he had no idea who I was.”

  
“They had so much fun that day. Vincent was jealous of Jas’s little basket of rose petals, wasn’t he?”

  
“He wanted a chance to throw them around.” She was starting to sound shaky. “The wedding pictures are gone, Linus. All of the portraits, the random snapshots, everything that was hanging on the wall is just gone. There aren’t any other pictures in the house, either.” Sebastian can hear the tears in her voice. “I don’t know if there’s anything left. He’s gone, and the children…” She sobs. Full body, painful sobs. She covers her face. Linus puts an arm around her shoulder. 

  
“There, child, get it out.” He rubs her back and pulls her closer to him. “I’m sorry I couldn’t get to you last night. There was a barrier around the farm. I tried to find a way in, by my life, I tried. Marlon and the witch from Castle Village were trying from the south entrance and I was pushing from the north. We could see, a little, but it was too strong.” She’s still crying, but the sobs have gentled. She sniffles. 

  
“I woke up this morning in the orchard. I was covered with leaves, and there was a bower.”

  
“You aren’t so alone. They did what they could. Their magic is in restoring and repairing. They know nothing of combat and violence.”

  
“How am I going to fix this. Rasmodius is a golden statue right now, Linus. A six foot tall golden statue that’s in my basement right now because I couldn’t just have it sitting out in the middle of the field.”

  
The old man chuckles at this. “Wouldn’t be the first time he’s gotten himself into a mess.”

  
“I could really use his help right now.”

  
“He chose you for a reason, my dear. And I will help you as much as I can. Our paths may be different, but they travel in a similar direction.”

  
The next thing that Kat said was drowned out by a hideous whining sound. The dream dissolved into tiny pieces that he tried to grasp, mentally, but they slipped away before he could commit any of it to memory. A bright light washed over him, destroying everything around him. 

  
“…Was severely underrated! I swear to Yoba, Candice, you fight me on these things every single day for shits and giggles, don’t you.”

  
“I might. You just make it so entertaining. Cats and kittens, you know the drill. We’re outta time and outta luck. We’ll catch you tomorrow morning, where I’ll argue with Derek again over his incorrect musical opinions.”

  
“Whatever Candice. See you later, folks, the Morning Meatheads are up next, but first, here’s ‘Wasted on Each Other,’ to start your day off right.”

“Or start it off some kind of way.”

  
“Oh hush.” A familiar guitar riff started up. Sebastian didn’t mind the song, but it was far too early and why was he waking up with a headache again? Why was he waking up at this hour in the first damned place? He didn’t need to open his eyes to know that every light in his room was blazing again. He called his half sister every single name he could think of as he rolled out of bed and began to undo the damage for the second day in a row. He left the music on, listening to the raw longing in the singer’s voice as he sang of the addiction that he and his tumultuous lover felt for each other. His head didn’t hurt quite as much this morning, so he simply turned the volume down as he returned to his bed. The light next to the bed was still on, reflecting off of an unfamiliar piece of jewelry.

  
He’d forgotten about that thing being in his bed yesterday. He sat down on the bed and reached for the ring. It was a dark, purplish gray and felt unusually cool to the touch. He ran his fingertip around the edge, curious about the metal. He held it up to the light to look inside the band for any clue as to where it came from. It had to be Abigail’s, or maybe even Sam’s. It was a little large to belong to Abigail, but it was definitely her style. He thought he spotted something engraved inside the band, but it had been scratched out. He frowned.

  
“What in the ever loving fuck is happening to me,” he muttered.

**Author's Note:**

> I have attempted to give Demetrius and Sebastian a better relationship here than what the game did. 
> 
> Note: I play with the Stardew Valley Expanded mod by the very talented FlashShifter (https://www.nexusmods.com/stardewvalley/mods/3753), and Victor and Sophia decided that they wanted to be in the story. Other characters will pop up in the future. Again I must stress, I did not create Victor, Sophia, Andy, Claire, Olivia, Susan, Camilla, or the greater role of the Adventurer’s Guild/Marlon.


End file.
